This is just one of the pieces discussing the disparity. Most, including this one, are saying variations of "It makes sense to pay them less because less people cared and less money was made."
Their efforts are valued less as winners than the men's team were as losers.
It makes me sad that this isn't seen, let alone seen as a problem.
You have to wonder about things such as if they put in anywhere near as much effort as they did for the men's championship (artificial turf points to "no"). It'd be interesting to know if the women's team's pay is even equally proportional to the FIFA income from the game when compared to the men's? (don't think the income stat is available yet). It's hard to expect the rest of the world to care more than FIFA. If FIFA want people to care (and provide them with their income) then they need to lead the way. The game was actually the highest viewed soccer game in US history. But that's the US. Outside viewership won't have been anywhere near as enthusiastic.
You're asking the wrong question. The answer to the right question is "they probably should be more meritocratic, yes." Something needs to be done to make their efforts be valued as highly as the men's team's efforts. Because they certainly are not yet, and continuing to undervalue them is only going to cost future talent.